Grassy Lake Water Trail

[ico135]

Anyone know how to find out if Grassy Lake is flooded. I have read around and haven't found a ton of information on when to expect water and when not to. Is it generally passable in the winter and late summer is when it drys out or is it more recent rain dependent rather than season.
Thanks..

[Cowper]

Water levels in Grassy are controlled by the AGFC, using gates. If it is duck season, the water is good. Outside of duck season, you generally have to ask some one who has been recently or lives close enough to run by and check. There is a phone number you can call listed on the AGFC site, but I don't know if the person answering will have a good feel for paddle craft acceptable water levels, or is only going to answer based on whether or not it is flooded deep enough for motorboats. I know Debo, Stan, and others have been many times at very low levels; if you're there for the wildlife and don't mind pushing or dragging over a few shallow spots you can go much of the year. I'll see if Debo can add more specific info.

The AGFC site is a little bit misleading, because we generally go after noon, to avoid interfering with duck hunters. If you go to the AGFC site, it says that the area is closed to all boats after noon during waterfowl season, except for a few days when longer hours are allowed. So based on that, we were in violation, and in fact we've been literally planning every trip in violation because we only go when the duck hunters are not supposed to be there. But we were "checked out" by a wildlife officer when we were exiting the area; he never said anything negative, just walked over, looked in our boat (probably checking for shotguns), and then proceeded to have a very friendly conversation with us about the water trail.

http://www.agfc.com/hunting/Pages/wmaDe ... x?show=022" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DeBo]

Grassy Lake is full now and will remain good floating for a couple of months or much longer if we get rain. AGFC closes the gates in late October for duck season and will keep them closed for quite some time after it ends. According to 2015 calendar duck season closed on Jan. 25th this year. The water fowl rest area is closed in Feb. but is separate from Grassy Lake. If you do not go beyond the end of the red trail spur, you will be fine.

Water levels are above the top of the boat lane at the put in now. Floating should remain good even after water levels drop eight inches below the sides of the boat lane. While building the trail, we were able to get in with canoes at even lower levels and paddled most of the summer because even after AGFC opens the gates, beaver dams will continue to hold water in the lake.